The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7119 of German Patent Application No. 199 24 528.2, filed on May 28, 1999, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention concerns a method and a device for cleaning germination trays, in particular for automatic cleaning of germination trays in a malt house with a cleaning carriage.
2. Discussion of Background Information
German Patent No. 2,801,715 C and Unexamined German Patent No. 2,654,758 describe the loading of drying kiln trays in malt houses or application of granular bulk material to germination trays or drying trays. CS Patent No. 97,231 describes the application of green malt to the trays of a malt drying kiln by way of rotating, telescoping discharge tubes. However, the latter are in a fixed mount in the ceiling area and can reach only a portion of the tray.
Unexamined German Patent No. 1,417,572 also describes devices for clearing germination boxes having a carriage that can travel along the germination box for batch-wise clearing of germination material. Work cycles between clearing and emptying are kept constant by a timer.
With another device for clearing germination boxes according to Unexamined German Patent No. 1,442,114, the advance motion of a reversing carriage is utilized. The device utilizes reversing elements designed as reversing worm gears travel into the germination material while rotating are retracted toward a conveyor device mounted on the edge of the germination box, thereby entraining material while the reversing worm gears remain stationary. No residues of the germination material should remain on the bottom of the germination box. The reversing worm gears have entraining devices on their lower end for this purpose. Moreover, hydraulically raised and lowered reversing carriages with triangular bucket conveyors are also known.
Conventionally, germination trays are cleaned either manually with highpressure sprays, utilizing a water hose or the like or with cleaning carriages that can travel in a ring or a line. Such a system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,029,116 to BEYER, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference in its entirety.
In most cases, multiple cleaning carriages are necessary, and water and power are supplied over a relatively great distance. As a result, the assembly and maintenance costs of such cleaning carriages are high.
The invention avoids the disadvantages of the state of the art and simplifies the operation of the cleaning carriages while reducing the number of such carriages required per germination tray.
The telescoping cleaning carriage according to this invention makes it possible to use only a single cleaning carriage per germination tray. The cost of supplying utilities (water, power) is accordingly reduced, while flexibility and the cleaning effect are greatly increased. Moreover, in the resting position (retracted position), very little space required is required. Additionally, the control complexity is also low, and this system can be used for both angular and round trays.
The invention therefore provides a device for cleaning germination trays having a traversing carriage with a carrier to accommodate supply lines for power and water and cleaning units, characterized in that the device contains telescoping carriers on which a supply line is arranged, with a cleaning unit being arranged on the outer telescoping carrier. The telescoping carrier may be mounted so it can be rotated and/or pivoted and/or displaced longitudinally on a side wall of the germination tray. Moreover, the cleaning units may include nozzles and/or nozzle strips. Additional nozzle strips or nozzles may also be utilized on the telescoping carrier. Further, the cleaning unit can be arranged so it can rotate.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a device for cleaning germination trays comprising a moveable carriage comprising at least one telescoping carrier, the at least one telescoping carrier being coupled to at least one supply line, and a cleaning unit coupled to the at least one telescoping carrier. The moveable carriage may be moveable in a direction transverse to a telescoping direction of the at least one telescoping carrier. The device may further comprise a power unit coupled to the at least one telescoping carrier, a water unit coupled to the telescoping carrier, wherein supply lines are coupled to the water unit and the power unit. The at least one carrier may comprise a plurality of telescoping carriers. The plurality of telescoping carriers may be telescopically mounted together.
The device may direct a cleaning fluid to a portion of the germination tray, the cleaning fluid comprising water. The cleaning fluid may comprise water and at least one additive. The device may be positioned in the germinating tray such that the moveable carriage is moveable parallel to a side wall of germinating tray. The at least one telescoping carrier may be rotatable relative to a side wall of the germination tray. The at least one telescoping carrier may be pivotal relative to a side wall of the germination tray. The at least one cleaning unit may comprise at least one of at least one nozzle and at least one nozzle strip.
The device may further comprise at least one additional cleaning unit coupled to the at least one telescoping carrier. The at least one additional cleaning unit may be directed to clean at least one of a bottom of the germination tray and a side of the germination tray. The at least one additional cleaning unit may comprise one of at least one nozzle and at least one nozzle strip. The at least one cleaning unit may be mounted on an outermost part of the at least one telescoping carrier. The device may further comprise a controller for controlling the movement of the moveable carriage. The controller may control a telescopic movement of the at least one telescoping carrier. The device may further comprise a control program for controlling the movements of one of the moveable carriage and the at least one telescoping carrier.
The moveable carriage may be mounted to a side wall via at least one guide roll which is supported on at least one guide. The moveable carriage may comprise a control motor for moving the moveable carriage. The moveable carriage may be fed with cleaning fluid and power from a connection disposed on at least one side wall of the germination tray.
The invention also provides for a device for cleaning germination trays comprising a moveable carriage comprising a plurality of telescoping carriers, at least one of the plurality of carriers having at least one cleaning unit and accommodating at least one supply line which carries a cleaning fluid, wherein each of the plurality of carriers is telescopically moveable with respect to the moveable carriage.
The invention further provides for a method of cleaning germination trays in a device comprising a moveable carriage comprising at least one telescoping carrier, the at least one telescoping carrier being coupled to at least one supply line, and a cleaning unit coupled to the at least one telescoping carrier, the method comprising extending the at least one telescoping carrier from the moveable carriage, moving the moveable carriage, and directing a cleaning fluid onto a portion of the germinating tray using the at least one cleaning unit, wherein the cleaning fluid cleans the portion of the germination tray. The method may further comprise retracting the at least one telescoping carrier into the moveable carriage. The moving may comprise moving the carriage in a direction transverse to a telescoping direction of the at least one telescoping carrier. The method may further comprise initiating a control program which controls the movements of one of the moveable carriage and the at least one telescoping carrier. The moving may comprise moving the carriage in one of a curved path and a circular path.